


Passion for Publication

by WhereverMySITakesMe



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: (Non-consensually), Alternate Universe, Exotic Dancer, F/M, Force- Sensitive Hera Syndulla, Forced Prostitution, Hangover, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicidal Thoughts, Minor Hera Syndulla/Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo, Multi, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Poverty, Self-Harm (sort of), Slave Hera Syndulla, Slavery, Thrawn does not appear until the second chapter, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24985546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhereverMySITakesMe/pseuds/WhereverMySITakesMe
Summary: There's nothing that Kanan, a struggling farmer, can do for Hera, to improve her life of miserable servitude. No way for them to be together. All they can do is snatch a few moments together and hope not to be caughtThrawn, on the other hand, could do a lot. Have her freed, or force her master to treat her better. But what he wants is her heart, which can't be bought.
Relationships: Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> You dance with the devil and drink with the demons  
> That'll sleep with death and fell short of breath  
> When you wake up hungover  
> You wish you were sober

It was a smart idea, really. Good business sense. Why only use your slaves in the evenings when you could work them all hours of the day and night? 

Well, sleep. That was a reason. Slaves need sleep to stay alive and functional.

Hera couldn’t remember sleep. The rational part of her brain insisted that she must have slept, maybe even the day before, but she couldn’t find a memory. Couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to rest. That part of her brain was fading, anyway, as the spice came into effect.

Nowadays, she looked forward to her doses. At first, when she still had some sense of self, she had been wary of the drugs. She used to hate her nights. But now, she was glad when the day’s exhausting drudgery was over and the drug fueled evening began. The spice washed away the aches in her muscles and drowned out the part of her brain that was still Hera, the part that still felt shame and fear.

Soon, the spice had completely taken over her mind and body and the party was in full swing. The music filled her, moved through her as she danced. She had no awareness of her limbs or what movements she was making. She didn’t know whether she was pleasing the patrons and she didn’t care either way. Because she wasn’t dancing anymore, she was flying. The party and the leering men were far, far away. There was only the music that throbbed through her body, lifting her up into the sky.

She wouldn’t remember this tomorrow, she could tell. But that didn’t matter. Because tomorrow wasn’t coming, she suddenly realized. Tonight would never end. She was going to dance and leap and fly ,higher and higher, forever. She laughed with joy and then laughed again at the beauty of the sound. The beauty of the music. She found that she was singing, entwining her voice with the beautiful sounds around her.

A hand struck her face, knocking her off balance and making her momentarily see stars “Shut your mouth, slave. Nobody wants to hear your warbling”

Hera staggered, trying to find her footing. Even though she had just been singing she couldn’t remember how to speak. Her face stung.

He hit her again, the other side of her face. The pain managed to jolt her into stuttering “Yes master”

No more blows came and the spice soon dulled the pain. Hera didn’t know if she sang again. She kept dancing, but something had changed. She still couldn’t find her balance, couldn’t find the rhythm. The floor seemed to be heaving and lurching underneath her feet and the music was speeding up, forcing her to move faster and faster, louder and louder. Her vision was swimming as she span and leapt. The blur of moving colours made her nauseous. She shut it out. Couldn’t think about anything except the music she was desperately trying to keep up with.

Soon her mind shut down completely. No thoughts. Just the music.

***

The club was a mess, as usual. Knocked over furniture and spilled drinks, on top of all the dirt that had built up over the week. Ezra didn’t mind, he was used to dirty work. And if the place got too messy during the week they might hire him to clean more often. Whatever his father thought, he needed the extra work. And it wasn’t like he was a gangster himself, just working for them.

He set his bucket and mop down by the door and made his way through the dark room, moving the furniture against the walls as he went. Towards the back was the biggest mess, with an overturned table and several chairs. He walked around the table to right it and was stopped in his tracks. On the floor was an unconscious Twi’lek woman. 

He moved closer, crouching down next to her. She didn’t look well. Her skin- which he could see far more of than he wanted to- was sallow and there were heavy dark circles around her eyes. He was tempted to just let her rest, even in a probably uncomfortable position, as she obviously needed it. But… well, she was lying where he needed to clean. Plus, the Twi’lek girls were slaves. She might get in trouble for not being somewhere she was meant to be.

“Hey, wake up” Ezra put his hand on her arm. When she didn’t respond he tried genty shaking her by the shoulder, awkwardly trying to avoid touching her anywhere else.

After several seconds of shaking she woke with a low moan and tried to look at him with unfocused eyes. She slurred something that could have been an attempt at speech.

“Are you okay?” Ezra asked, even though she obviously wasn’t.

She groaned again and tried to push herself upright on one shaking arm. 

“Easy. Let me help you” Ezra put his arm under hers, to try to support her. She lent against him, letting him try to ease her upright. He got her about halfway before she doubled over and vomited on to the floor. 

“Easy…” Ezra said again, trying to hold her steady. Tremors racked her entire body and she was covered in cold sweat. All that came up was bile, no food. “Are you sick?” He asked, once again asking a question with an obvious answer.

“ ‘M f’n..” Her response was still so slurred he could barely understand it. Ezra didn’t believe her anyway.

He was starting to get seriously worried “I’m gonna go get my sister, she’ll be able to help” He said as he eased her back onto the ground and got to his feet “Hang on in there. I’ll be back soon”

***

“Sabine!” Despite the small size of their home, Ezra was yelling at the top of his lungs

Kanan stopped his son as he ran through the room “Aren’t you meant to be at work?”

“I found one of the slaves on the floor. She’s really sick. I told her I was going to bring someone who could help her.” He said hurriedly then shouted again “Sabine!” 

Kanan sighed “Ezra...maybe you should have just got her master, or someone who works for him. If she’s seriously ill, Sabine might not be able to help”

Sabine was a smart girl who’d taught herself how to use a medical kit well enough to hire herself out as a doctor- that was one of the things that put food in their family’s bellies- but only to people as poor as them. Loman Star might well want better medical care for his property. And Kanan didn’t want his kids to get tangled up with gangsters anymore than could be helped. Every day he worried about Ezra’s cleaning job, menial as it was. It had hardly been a good sign that they had hired Ezra instead of him, even if it could just be to pay him less. If only they didn’t need the money so badly. If only his wife was still alive. If only, if only, if only.

“What can’t I help with?” Sabine said as she came in through the back door

“I found a sick Twi’lek woman in the club” Ezra was still energised, apparently not having listened to his father. As usual. “She needs help right now”

“Let’s go” Sabine grabbed her med pack and ran out of the door with her brother. Kanan sighed again before following them. If they were going to do something stupid- which they seemed to have difficulty avoiding- it would be better if he was there too.

Ezra led the three of them back to the club. The room was filthy and stank of alcohol. Most of the furniture had been moved to the sides of the room to allow Ezra to clean, but towards the back were a few scattered chairs and a table on its side on the floor.

“I’m back!” Ezra called out as they entered.

“Hey…” A weak and slurred voice came from behind the table.

“Ezra, go clean. Sabine and I have got this” Kanan ordered.

The boy nodded obediently and went back to his mop. The other two walked around the table to see the woman. A green Twi’lek, dressed in slave’s garb. Ezra was right, she wasn’t in good shape. She was half sitting up, slumped against the table legs, with half lidded eyes embedded in rings like bruises. All her bones visible under skin that was a sickly colour that he doubted was normal, especially given the vomit on the floor next to her.

Sabine knelt down and opened her med kit “Are you in pain?” 

“I’m not sick” The woman said, with obvious difficulty. Her words were still slurred.

“You look pretty sick” Kanan joined the two of them on the floor.

The Twi’lek managed an embarrassed smile “Spice-hangover”

“Right” Kanan said, somewhat relieved.

Sabine took the woman’s hand anyway and ran a probe over it. “You’re severely dehydrated,” She said, getting to her feet “I’ll get you some water”

“You don’t need to…” By the time the woman got out half a sentence, the girl was already gone. The Twi’lek gave a small sigh and leant her head against the table leg, closing her eyes. A few seconds later she opened them again and looked at Kanan again.

Kanan realised that he was staring at her. Despite her disheveled condition something about the woman was captivating. Her eyes, maybe. The shape of her face.There was no reason for him to still be there. He should get up and go find Star, or someone who worked for him, and then hand her over to them. 

He didn't. Instead, he said “I’m Kanan. Kanan Jarrus” 

“Hera Syndulla” That brought a slight smile to her face.

On the other side of the table, Ezra was moving furniture back into position. The sound of a table being dragged along the floor made the woman wince. Kanan started to reach out instinctively, as though he could help her. 

She looked down in embarrassment as she rubbed her temple with one hand “They give us the spice. So we can work night and day”

Kanan exhaled “Night and day? When do you rest?”

She started to nod, then stilled her head and shut her eyes tightly, obviously regretting the movement “During the day we do… normal work. Hardly any rest at all”

“That will kill you” He blurted, horrified by the brutal treatment.

She gave a small, completely hollow, smile “I should be so lucky”

“Don’t say that” Kanan touched her hand lightly “There’s always hope”

That was what he always told himself and the kids, when things were tough. He did believe it, really, but he had to admit that Hera’s situation stretched the mantra.

The woman slit her eyes open and looked into his eyes. He looked back at her, searching for something he could say to ease her pain. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Neither of them looked away.

The moment was shattered as Sabine returned and dropped to the ground next to her father “I brought a canteen of water. And I found you a Jogan fruit” she said to the woman.

Hera recoiled “No...No, I can’t keep it down”

“At least try the water” Sabine coaxed, holding out the canteen “It’ll make you feel better”

The woman grimaced and shook her head, her face an even more concerning shade of green. But Sabine was stubborn. She eventually managed to get water into Hera through a combination of coaxing and gentle bullying. Kanan smiled to himself, proud of his daughter’s tenacity and her kind heart. 

His stomach growled as he glanced at the fruit, wondering where she’d got it. Probably their own pantry, a thought which made his stomach rumble even more insistently. It was the leanest time of the year for them and they really couldn’t spare any food- he hadn’t eaten at all thatdthat or the day before. Damn Sabine’s generosity.

He looked back up at the Twi’lek, who was watching him with curious eyes. She glanced slyly at Sabine, now on her feet again and talking to Ezra, then nudged the fruit towards him using her foot, with a wry simile.

He raised his eyebrow “She gave it to you”

“You look hungry.” She replied, her voice almost teasing.

“You look hungrier”

“I can’t keep it down” He could see the strain on her face that she tried behind her smile “And you’ve done enough”

“We’ve done almost nothing for you” He and his children couldn’t help with her hangover, the brutal hours she worked, the fact that she was a slave. A canteen of water- that she was probably going to throw up again anyway- was nothing in all that misery.

She met his eyes again, picking up the fruit and holding it out to him “You treated me like a person”

He looked back into her eyes put his hand on hers as he took the food “You are a person”

She broke his gaze “I’m a slave” She said resignedly, then forced a lighter tone “I barely feel sentient right now”

“That’s the hangover talking” Kanan said, his tone also upbeat, not knowing how to respond to her first statement. She smiled again, which was something. Maybe.

He quickly tore through Jogan fruit before the kids joined them again.

“Are you feeling better?” Ezra asked “You look better” Kana hoped that wasn’t true.

“A little” Hera said, almost certainly lying

“What do we do now” Ezra looked at Kanan then back to Hera “Is there somewhere we can take you to sleep? You work nights, right?”

“And days” A note of anxiety crept into Hera’s voice “I should be working now. I don’t know where.”

“In this state?” Sabine asked, indignantly.

“Will you be punished?” Kanan asked, frowning.

Hera just shrugged.

“Will **we** be punished?” Sabine asked, apparently only now thinking about the consequences of their actions.

The woman licked her lips. “If I actually needed medical care… It would probably be okay”

“But you don't,” Kanan reminded her.

“I know” She said, staring into space. Kanan could almost see the gears turning in her hungover brain as she struggled to think.

Before she could say anything more, they heard the door opening and heavy footsteps. Some kind of overseer or gaurd, Kanan guessed, not Star himself. Hera flinched at the sound. Now punishment was actually on the table; she seemed more concerned with the prospect.

“Twi’lek!” A man’s voice called out, angrily “Are you in here?”

Fear shrouded Hera’s face. Next to her, Ezra jumped to his feet “I, uh, We-”

“Cleaner boy? Why are you still here? How many of you are there back there? What the hell is going on?” The man's voice was getting louder and angrier as he got closer.

Kanan grabbed Sabine’s shoulder as she tried to stand as well, not wanting her to get involved and make things worse. His gaze and hands were distracted as, in a sudden rush of movement, Hera slammed her hand down onto the ground and twisted her wrist until there was a grinding noise, whichshe muffled by pushing the table backwards.

Kanan and Sabine stared in shock and horror as she hissed “Now I need a doctor.”

Sabine nodded, her face completely white, and started digging through her bag.

“My wrist...” Hera called to the overseer “I fell on it… they said the girl could help…” Her voice was shaking with pain.

“Yeah, we, uh, I got Sabine to come fix... Her arm” Ezra looked down at the three of them in confusion, but went with the story.

The brute was on top of them now, looking over the table “Show me” He grunted. Hera turned around and held out her arm, which he examined then dropped, satisfied. He looked at Sabine “ **Can** you help?”

The girl nodded and held up a roll of bandages “I have a med kit” Somehow her voice was calm and professional “But I’m not a droid, all I can do is splint it”

“That’ll do” The man said before looking at Kanan “Who are you?”

Kanan swallowed, forcing the tremor out of his own voice “I’m her father. Sabine’s. I came with her”

Thankfully, that seemed enough for the other man “Move the Twi’lek somewhere else so the boy can finish cleaning.” 

“Of course” Kanan slid one arm under Hera’s legs and one arm and the other behind her back to gently lift up. He carried her across the room and set her down on a chair. Sabine followed with her med kit and got to work on the woman’s wrist. Kanan stayed in front of them, shielding Hera’s half-naked body from the man’s eyes. Now that Hera’s face was hidden from the overseer again, she gave him a shaky smile, as if to reassure him that she was okay. He took her goodhgood careful to keep the movement hidden, and did his best to return the expression. Hera whimpered a little and squeezed his hand as Sabine maneuvered her injured arm but didn’t speak. Kanan suspected that she was scared too. 

“All done” Sabine said finally, turning to the other man “She’ll need to rest it for-”

“Whatever” He waved her off “Now get out, all of you. Except you, cleaning boy” He said to Ezra, who nodded obediently and replied “Yes, master”

That made Kanan’s throat tighten in anger, but he took a breath to force the feeling away. “I’ll see you at home” He put his hand on Sabine’s shoulder to steer her out and stop her trying a final stubborn, stupid act of kindness.

As they left he took one last look at Hera. The overseer was already dragging her away- thankfully, by the uninjured arm. But, just for a moment, she turned her head to meet Kanan’s eyes. 

He wondered if he would ever see her again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just be pretty but naive  
> Anything you hear is what you believe  
> Let the rhyme get stuck in your head  
> Wish you had undressed me in your bed

Kanan trudged home, his too light bag slung over his shoulder. Market day had gone the way it always did in the dry season. Not enough food, all of it too expensive, and no extra work for him or the kids. He walked on autopilot, his mind focused on juggling numbers- credits, food, work, how long until the harvest came in. He’d left both children at home. While it was easy enough for them to see how bad things were he was their father, he was meant to at least try to shield them from worries about money and food. And from places like this. Without looking he knew that the familiar walk had taken him to a shadier part of town so he tried to be a little more alert and put his thoughts aside, temporarily at least. He even raised his eyes from the ground to look around. It was then that he saw her. Hera.

She was with a group of other Twi’lek women  all dressed in ragged sack cloth robes, unloading crates from a speeder into  a building- the back of the club, maybe.

He  was call ing her name  and rushing over to her before he could stop himself.  The woman looked up  from her work , a smile lighting up her face “Kanan.”

He stopped awkwardly a few steps away from her, not sure where to go from there. He could hardly rush over and embrace her, much as he wanted to. Hera was also frozen in place, half turned towards him and half to the other women. The others, who were still able to move, stared at Kanan in a mixture of confusion and fear. 

Eventually, Hera broke the silence by turning back to her companions and saying something in a language Kanan didn’t know.  Whatever she said, seemed to reassure them, though they still seemed curious enough to keep watching the, still silent, couple instead of working. Strangely, there was no one objecting to that. No one overseeing the women at all.  He  glanced inside the club , then  looked  back at Hera “There’s no one watching you,” He frowned “What’s stopping you from running away?”

“ Where would we go? They’d hunt us down” Hera  replied, shrugging.

“ W e wouldn’t get far  anyway ” A red woman  added “Without Loman’s Spice”

Hera looked down “That too”

Kanan looked at her kindly, reaching out a hand towards her cheek, starting to close the gap between them “It’s not your fault. That you’re...“

“ A spice addict” She  suggested,  turning awayy from his hand.

Kanan was uncomfortably aware of all the eyes on him. He pulled his hand back and tried to change the subject “Can I help you… You’re meant to be resting your wrist.” Someone had already removed her splint. Perhaps it had distracted from her dancing, he thought angrily.

Hera frowned and turned back to the other girls, as though searching for their opinions. Admittedly, it was unfair for only Hera to get a break. All of it was unfair.

The red woman shrugged,  her tone aggressive under her thick accent “If you want to, go ahead. You’re stronger than her. We’ll be done faster”

“ Uh, thanks” Kanan  stepped closer to the speeder and  went to life on of the crates. As soon as he touched it t he youngest looking girl yelp ed , making  him start and move back .

Hera spoke again in the Twi’lek language  before saying to Kanan  “ Dia  doesn’t speak basic.  Everything’s fine”

“Is that... common?” Kanan asked as he heaved up the crates. It was bulky, but not stupidly heavy.

“ Most of us learn  Basic eventually ” Hera walked next to him  as  he headed inside “But not always as children.  I don’t know much about her tribe ”

Children. Right. Kanan could see that the other women were younger than Hera, perhaps considerably so. He didn’t want to ask how old any of them had been when they arrived, or how long Hera had been there.

“This must be terrifying for her.” He said instead. He doubted the overseers cared that the girl couldn’t understand them.

Hera shrugged “It’s hard on all of us”

Kanan cursed himself for the stupid comment and made a noise approximating “Yeah”.

Hera looked at him with a s l ight smile “It’s okay” It wasn’t, but he understood what she meant.

“How are you feeling. Still hungover?”  He asked,  changing the topic again .  The woman looked it and a really awful hangover might have lasted the two days it had been since  they’d last spoken .

“Hungover again” She looked down “They dose us every night”

“I’m sorry” Was his automatic response.

“Not your fault” She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, probably trying to shift a headache, before looking back at him, forced levity in her voice “How are the kids?”

“ Ezra and Sabine? They’re alright. Same as usual, you know?  Full of energy. ” He smiled instinctively as he thought about  his children “Haven’t got in any trouble recently  though , thank goodness”

“That’s good” She was smiling too, but it faded a little as she said “And...their mother?”

He set the crate down, where he could see that the women had left the others, and kept his eyes on the floor as he said “More than ten years dead now”

“Oh, I’m so sorry” Her tone was genuine

He shook his head “Not your fault” He  forced a smile as he  looked back at her “This is the galaxy’s most depressing conversation.”

“ We can probably blame the circumstances for that” She walked back with him to the speeder  and watched him take a second crate “T ell me more about your  children . Sabine’s a doctor? She seemed  pretty young”

“Just a kid with a med kit. But she’s smart, really smart. Wants to go to the Imperial Academy”

The woman stiffened “The Empire?”

He shrugged “It’s the only way to get anywhere”

Hera shook her head,  her voice sudden l y angry, insistent “They’re awful.  Y ou  ** must ** know that.”

“I hate them too. It’s...it was because of them that I lost her. My wife. But it’s what Sabine wants. And she’s too smart to be stuck as a farmer” Kanan felt his own voice rising in response

“And too kind to work for the Empire”

Kanan dumped the second crate and shook his head,  the energy of the exchange suddenly  dissolving “It’s hypothetical anyway. We can’t afford it”  He didn’t want to argue with her and he suspected they were both too tired to keep  up the intensity for long.

Hera  rubbed her forehead again “Perhaps you’ll figure something out. That isn’t the Empire”

“Perhaps.” He exhaled There’s always hope”

Behind him, one of the other women snorted.

“He’s right,” Hera snapped.

T he  red Twi’lek didn’t respond  but looked at Kanan  and said “We’re  almost  done.  Y ou should go”

“Sure” He nodded, but lingered for a second, putting is hand on Hera’s and ignoring the eyes on them “I...I’d like to see you again”

She licked her chapped lips “I'd like that too. We’re often here, unguarded” She looked into his eyes

“ Then I’ll keep an eye out” He held her gaze for several seconds before managing to tear his  gaze away.  “ If Sabine ever comes up with a hangover cure, I’ll give it to you” He said as he  turned away , hoping to bring a final smile to Hera’s face.

***

In theory, Hera had no control over what work she was assigned. In practice, the foreman, Kanner, made no attempt to differentiate the slaves, not even by noting all four of them had different colored skin. If he ever noticed when the woman he’d pointed to when assigning a task wasn’t the one who completed it, he didn’t care. So Hera did her best to work behind the club as much as possible. The others didn’t mind- preferring to be out of the sun and dust, though Hera knew that Shiri judged her for her desire to see Kanan. For not having given up hope.

Today, Hera was on her knees in the dirt, scrubbing the muck off a speeder and feeling the sun beat down on her skin. Her mouth was parched and so foul tasting that  she almost considered drink ing the water  she was cleaning with . 

Without looking up,  she  could  feel that there was someone nearby, watching her. Not Kanan, though,  she would have known if it was him .  Hera turned to  find the identity of her observer .  It was Sabine, Kanan’s bright daughter.

She set down her brush, risking a few moments of rest “Did your father send you?”

“He doesn’t know I’m here” The girl said “And he doesn’t want me to be”

“ You should  listen to him , Sabine. He’s trying to keep you safe” Hera chided gently, the words tearing at her dry throat.

“ You need water” Sabine sat on the ground next to  the Twi’lek and handed her a canteen “And my father is being ridiculous. I could make good money patching blaster wounds somewhere like this”

Hera took a sip of the water. The  feeling of  the cool liquid  on her raw  mouth and throat was so good that she almost  gr oaned with relief.  But, d espite the bliss the girl had brought her, Hera kept her tone patiently reprimanding “And get a blaster wound yourself”

It was coming up to evening  and  she would soon be called inside the club  to dance .  T he sorts of people who visited in those hours, the sorts of things that happened…  The girl would be in real danger.

“Yeah, well, we need the credits” Sabine crossed her legs, still sitting in the dirt

“You’re a child, you shouldn’t have to worry about money”

“ Dad thinks that too. He thinks Ezra and I don’t know how bad things are.  As though it isn’t  completely obvious”

Hera sighed and returned to her work,  put ting the canteen on the ground “It’s  kind of you, supporting your family like this”  She conceded

The girl just shrugged “I’ve got nothing better to do. This is the dullest planet in the galaxy”

Hera found her smiling dotingly at that “I used to think that about Ryloth”

“Then you came here and realised what boring really is?”

“No. Things got...interesting. You don’t want that” She added, not needing to see Sabine’s face to sense the girl’s eagerness. “Seriously, interesting is bad”

“So is poverty” There was a pause before Sabine added “And, uh, slavery. Obviously, that’s worse”

“It’s alright. I know things are hard for you too.”

The human nodded, staring into space in front of her “I just want to be part of something”

“Kanan said that meant the Empire”

“Sure. Why not? There’s more to me than this”

Hera could think of several reasons why not, but she didn’t list them. Instead she said “Almost everyone is. Look at me” she gestured  at herself “I can shoot a blaster, I can pilot a ship. I’m trained in hand to hand combat. And I’ve never been a part of the Empire” The implication was there.

If Sabine picked up on it, she didn’t say. Instead, her eyes widened “That’s...amazing. Can you really do all that?”

“I used to be able to” Her malnourished body had long since eaten away the muscle she would need to fight, and she suspected the spice had had the same effect on her mind. Anger suddenly washed over her and she slammed her scrubbing brush into the bucket “It didn’t save me from being forced into slavery”

The girl nodded uncomfortably “Interesting bad. Got it”

Hera shook her head, trying to shift her aggression “Just, be careful, Sabine”

“My dad has a point. Got that too… And you want me to leave”

“ I...would recommend it” Hera was reluctant to give an actual order. She didn’t know how badly the family needed the credits and  whether the r isk was worthwhile  wasn't her call to make \- Sabine wasn’t her daughter.

“Fine” The girl got to her feet “I’ll go hang around somewhere else. Nice talking to you.” She said awkwardly.

“Likewise” Hera nodded her head politely, but she meant it.

“Maybe I’ll come back. Talk about not the Empire”

“ Be careful” Hera warned but then added “But yes. Please do”

***

Thrawn hated places like this. Everything single thing about them. The music would have been awful even if it hadn’t been played completely tunelessly- it was taudry stuff that grated on his ears. The drinks were disgusting, existing just to get patrons drunk with no consideration given to taste. And then there were the dancers. Always completely without training or talent and often high. And always Twi’leks to take advantage of the species’ natural allure. Even so, Thrawn was continually surprised that anyone found girls like this remotely attractive. Bags of bones with eyes like saucers and pupils like moons.

But, much as he loathed it, he was  sometimes  had to spend an evening s  with the wealthy of whatever planet he was stationed on and  often  the wealthy liked  to  pass their time in  tasteless fleshpots.  Soon he would start working the room  and meeting people but  h e d ecided to wait for latecomers to arrive and for those who were already present to relax and get some alcohol into their systems.

In the meantime, he made an effort to blend in and to act as though he was enjoying himself as he needed to seem approachable. He took another sip of his disgusting drink and looked back at the girls stumbling around the floor, adopting an expression of interest. Unexpectedly that emotion became genuine as his eyes were drawn to one of them in particular. She had green skin that bruised orange where it was irritated by the clasps that held together the strips of fabric that attempted to cover the sensitive parts of her body. She was just as high as the others and just as emaciated but something about her was different. Some symmetry in the bones of her face, some grace in her movements. It was enigmatic, but the more he watched her the more he was certain that it was there.

He spent the rest of the evening watching her, only half paying attention to the men he was meant to be getting a feel for. It didn’t matter though, he could already tell he would be visiting the club again.

***

The spice was taking more and more out of her everyday, Hera thought as she leant against the wall, dry heaving. She’d bolted out of the club to vomit and was now in the narrow space between Loman’s building and the one next to it, slumped against the plasteel wall. She hadn’t vomited-probably too dehydrated- but she couldn’t bring herself to go back to work. Instead, she found herself shutting her eyes against the bright sunlight and resting her aching head on the wall. Just a few seconds rest, she told herself.

After an indeterminate period of time, there was suddenly a hand on her shoulder “Hera? Are you alright?”

Kanan. The familiar voice brought a smile to Hera’s lips. She turned to face him, blinking her eyes open, and removed his hand, holding it in her own.

He smiled and squeezed her hand in return, but his expression was strained “Seriously, are you alright?”

“I’m fine” She insisted and shook her head, wincing as that jarred her throbbing skull “Just...thirsty”

“Here” He let go of her hand, unhooked a canteen from his belt and handed it to her.

Part of Hera wanted to gulp down the entire thing in one go to soothe her abused body but the rest of her worried aboutthrowing up in front of Kanan. She sipped the drunk slowly, her injured hand protectively holding her stomach.

Kanan watched her anxiously “I don’t understand why Star doesn’t give you more water. I mean- it’s water.” Cheap enough for someone as poor as him to give away.

Hera loosened her grip on her midriff as the water eased her nausea. “Because he doesn’t care” It was clear enough from the way he treated them. It wasn’t the expense. They were nothing to him.

Kanan’s face crumpled into an expression of disgust. Hera cut the man off before he could speak “I don’t want to talk about Star”

He nodded understandingly and lightly touched her cheek “What do you want to talk about?”

Hera leant into him to return the canteen to his belt then moved both of her hands to his shoulders “I don’t want to talk at all”

For an endless second they looked into each others eyes, until Hera couldn’t wait any longer. She pulled him closer still until their lips met. Kanan didn’t pull back, instead leaning into her in return kissing her deeply. His hands were on her hips and she was holding his face and pressing his back into the wall as she kissed him harder and faster as waves of heat and passion swept over her, washing away the pain and exhaustion that had been swamping her, weighing her down. She was moaning into Kanan’s lips, tasting him in her mouth, feeling her heart race against her ribs when he suddenly pulled back, leaving her panting and bereft.

“Hera. Hera” Kanan was breathless and flushed “We shouldn’t be doing this”

“I don’t care” She tried to lean into him again

“Stop.” He said forcefully, making her finally pull back and remove her hands from his face “I’m serious. What happens if they catch us together?”

“ We tell them I seduced you. You were powerless to resist my Twi’lek charms” She  said flirtatiously and moved  her hips against his,  as though to demonstrate those charms. Or use them on him.

“ Don’t talk about yourself that way, Hera”  H is tone was  completely serious

“ It’s what everyone thinks”  She said, a note of frustration  creeping  in to her voice. She could feel the heat of the moment dissolving and the heavy weight of exhaustion returning to her body. 

“ I don’t” He  took her face  in his hands “And I’m not letting you take all the blame”

“ Kanan,”  She  was flattered by his chivalry, even if it wasn’t what she wanted from him.  It wasn’t practical  either “Think of the  children . If something, anything happens to you…”

“ They go hungry” Kanan dropped his head.  Hera could feel his shame  at his inability to properly support his family.

She put her hand under his chin, tilting it upwards  until their eyes met “They’ll punish me either way. I don’t want anything to happen to you  as well , or  to the kids ”

“ You already broke your own  wrist for us. I don’t want you to go through more pain” 

“ It’s worth it”  She  moved her hand to his cheek “And it’s nothing to me. Everything already hurts so much”  A flare of pain from her wrist made her voice crack, proving her point.

“I don’t care” He leant his forehead against hers “I will not be responsible for causing you pain”

Hera leant against him, suddenly too tired to speak. Kanan  shifted so that her head was was resting on his chest, tucked under his chin and  wrapped his arms around her. 

“ I wish I could take it all away. All the pain” His voice was so kind Hera felt a lump forming in her throat.

“It helps” She managed to choke out “You help”

“Good” He said, soothingly, rubbing her back “Now shh. Rest” 

Hera did as she was told,  closing her eyes and  letting him take her weight. The  pain and  exhaustion where still there but Kanan’s presence eased them a little and her tense muscles began to relax.

“It’s going to be okay. Everything is going to  b e okay” Kanan murmured into  the top of  her head.  Tha t was  blatantly , shockingly false but she appreciated it non e theless.

The peace lasted a few more precious seconds before a jolt of adrenaline shot through Hera’s body.  Before she had time to think she was shaking Kanan’s arms of her and saying “Go. Go  ** now ** ”

He let go of her and began to  step backwards , picking up on her obvious panic, even if he couldn’t hear or see anything amiss. Hera didn’t know what she was reacting to, but she knew, with certainty, that someone was coming. 

And they were. Mere seconds latter Liran, an overseer, came out of the building to find Hera struggling to get her breathing under control as adrenaline racked her already battered frame. And Kanan, an anonymous human, an innocent distance away from her.

Hera didn’t have time to feel relief before the overseer grabbed her injured arm, turning her around and making her let out a cry of pain. She knew the noise had drawn Kanan’s attention and she could feel his worried eyes on her as Liran berated her for leaving her work. Her gaze remained on her supervisor in a facsimile of meek obedience and chagrin as behind her back she moved her lekku, crossing their ends twice. A silent message for Kanan that she knew he wouldn’t understand and a show of defiance that Liran wouldn’t see.

***

The first few bites of stuffed creampuff sat heavily and uncomfortably in Hera’s perpetually-queasy stomach. After years of living on mush, her body struggled to process real food. It was good food too. She could tell that the restaurant the blue man, Thrawn, had taken her to was expensive, as was the dress he had made her wear. It all put her on edge. She didn’t understand what he was doing or what he wanted from her. A courtesan, perhaps?

“ Hera, you look u ncomfortable”  The man observed.  He’d asked her name almost as soon as she’d been handed over to him. She didn’t know why he'd done that either.

“I am perfectly comfortable, master” Hera lied calmly.

“ Don’t call me that”  His tone remained  smooth, almost melodic as he reprimanded her

“ Yes ” Hera  replied, bit ing back the  instinct to add ‘master’.

“And you’ve hardly touched your food. Is there something wrong with it?”

“ No” She replied. There was a pause while  Thrawn looked at her expectantly  before she added “I’m just not used  food this rich ”

“You have never eaten like this before?”

Hera stared at him stupidly “ Loman feeds us cheap food”  she had assumed that was rather obvious

He  watched  her intently “That’s not what I mean t .” he folded his hands on the table “My understanding is that your people  have a habit of forcing their lower class citizens into slavery. Is that correct?”

Hera nodded slowly.

“ I don’t think that’s what happened to you,  however ”

She shook her head, ice creeping down her spine as she pushed memories away.

He smiled “As I suspected. There’s a refinement to you,  which the other girls don’t have”

Hera nodded again. It seemed to be what he wanted.

“So tell me.” He leant closer. His voice was still smooth and he was still smiling slightly “Who are you? How did you come to be here, doing what you do?”

The icy feeling  spread throughout  Hera’s entire body,  leaving her muscles painfully tense “My father is the leader of our clan. The Empire seized me, then sold me” She spoke emotionlessly, giving the minimum information that would answer his questions.

“Seized you?”

She nodded silently.

“What is your father’s name?”

“ Cham Syndulla” It physically hurt to say the  name ,  but she didn’t dare lie  or stay silent.

“ A rebel. You were lucky not to be  killed for working with him”

Hera felt like she had been punched in the gut. She found herself speaking without thinking,  reliving that awful day “They killed  all the men  they found  and took the women as slaves. After torturing us”

“You were criminals,” He said, as though trying to calm her. As though that justified it.

Hera looked at him again, properly taking in his clothing. His uniform “You’re an Imperial”

“A Grand Admiral.” He was still gratingly calm “But don’t look so scared. You’ve already been punished for what you did. How long ago were you sold? I suspect you’ve served your sentence by now”

“ Ten years” Hera gave her best guess, her throat trying to seal itself up around the words.

“Ten years” He repeated “With no contact with your father. I’m sure you’re...reformed”

A few syllables  escaped Hera’s mouth  but s he didn’t know what she was trying to say, or  even in wh at language.  She could barely process what he was saying, the insanity of it all.

“ I will admit that I have...a vested interest in this”

Hera didn’t give a damn.

“There is something special about you, Hera. I would like you to spend time with you. To get to know you”

T he thought of having to reveal more of her past and her private self to him  sickened  her but she said nothing. If her bought her time from Loman he could use it however he wanted. 

“And for you to  get to know me”

Hera didn’t care about anything about him, except that he was an imperial.

“I’m not going to harm you or force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I’m not looking for a slave. I’m considering a relationship”

With a slave.

“If things go well, I will buy you your freedom and we will leave the planet together as partners. Do you understand what I’m proposing?”

“If I please you, you’ll free me” That seemed to be the salient point.

“ No. I don’t want you to treat me like a master. We  will spend time together as equals”

Hera didn’t ask how the krif he thought that would work. That would be insubordination, he could have her beaten for it.


End file.
